Python: Swap Numbers without Temp Variable

1. Introduction

Swapping two numbers is a foundational concept in programming and algorithms. Typically, this involves the use of a temporary variable. However, there are clever ways to swap two numbers without needing this third variable, making the process more efficient.

2. Program Overview

This program will:

1. Take two numbers as input.

2. Swap their values without using a temporary variable.

3. Display the swapped values to the user.

3. Code Program

# Taking two numbers as input
num1 = float(input("Enter the first number: "))
num2 = float(input("Enter the second number: "))

# Printing original numbers
print("Original values of num1 and num2 are:", num1, num2)

# Swapping the numbers without using a temporary variable
num1, num2 = num2, num1

# Displaying the swapped values
print("Values of num1 and num2 after swapping are:", num1, num2)

Output:

Enter the first number: 5
Enter the second number: 10
Original values of num1 and num2 are: 5.0 10.0
Values of num1 and num2 after swapping are: 10.0 5.0

4. Step By Step Explanation

1. We start by taking two numbers as input from the user using the input function and convert them to floating point numbers using float.

2. The original values of the numbers are then printed to give clarity.

3. For the swapping, Python offers a direct way to swap values with the line num1, num2 = num2, num1. This method uses tuple unpacking, eliminating the need for a temporary variable.

4. Finally, the swapped values are printed, showcasing the result.